Marine Protected Area Signage: Insights from the Field

As a lifelong California resident with a background in marine ecology, there are few things I love more than exploring our incredible coastline. It’s not just a passion—it’s also been a big part of my professional life. From the rugged shores of the North Coast to the wide sandy beaches near the Mexico border, I’ve had the privilege of discovering many of the hidden nooks and crannies along California’s 3,427-mile coastline. Some places I know like the back of my hand; others still hold the promise of new adventure.

Whenever I arrive at a new spot, my instinct is to look around for signs. I’m curious to know the local rules, the species I might see, and any unique features of the area. I assumed this was common—that most people also stopped to read signs before heading out. But that assumption got flipped on its head when I started digging into how effective marine protected area (MPA) signage really is. 

A regulatory sign at Lampton Cliffs Park in Cambria, CA

How I Found Myself Researching the Effectiveness of MPA Signs

Since the creation of the MPA network in 2012, signs have been a go-to strategy for raising awareness and improving compliance with California’s MPAs. Notably, they were also one of the first outreach methods utilized to inform the public about MPAs. They’re supposed to quickly communicate what you can and can’t do in a given area. In fact, over the past decade, the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF) has helped install more than 500 MPA-related signs across the state to do just that.

In 2019 and 2020, the MPA Collaborative Network (CN) hosted Community Compliance Forums in every coastal county. These forums brought together over 500 community members who shared more than 2,200 compliance-related concerns and potential solutions. Over and over again, one solution came up: signage. People wanted more signs, better signs, translated signs, and strategically placed signs. It was clear that if we were going to improve MPA compliance, signage needed to be part of the answer. But first, we had to understand whether our current signs were actually doing their job.

That’s where I came in.

In the summer of 2022, I was given the chance to evaluate five types of MPA signs along the California coast. My mission was to figure out how well these signs captured attention and whether they helped coastal visitors understand—and follow—MPA regulations. Overall sign "effectiveness" was determined by evaluating a sign's ability to attract and keep visitor attention, increase awareness, and influence attitudes and behavioral intentions. Comparing these measures across the different sign types enabled the identification of sign elements that contributed to increased understanding of MPA rules and encouraged preferred behavior.  

The five types of MPA signage evaluated.

This meant spending long days—12 hours at a time—posted up at coastal access points. I’d quietly and stealthily observe visitors to see whether they noticed the signs, and then offer surveys to dig into what the signs communicated and how well.

What I Discovered After 216 Hours on the Coast

Katelyn Sprofera with an interpretive sign in La Jolla, California during her research.

After observing nearly 3,000 coastal visitors, I was stunned to discover that only 136 people—less than 5%—actually stopped to look at the signs. Of those who didn’t stop, about half had been to the beach before and never taken the time to look at the signs, while 23% had viewed them on a previous visit.

I couldn’t believe it. I had always thought people naturally gravitated toward signage, like I did. When I shared these findings with colleagues in natural resource management and marine conservation, many of them were just as surprised. It turns out, we might be part of a small subset of people who enjoy reading signs at the beach.

Still, for the subset of coastal visitors that do take the time to stop, signs do make a difference.

Do Signs Actually Work?

They can—especially for those who stop to read them. Across all five sign types, those who viewed the signage were more likely to recall the MPA rules. But not all signs performed equally. The Regulatory sign was the most effective overall. More people looked at it (even if briefly—2.5 seconds on average), and it had the best results in terms of rule recall, positive attitudes, and behavioral intent. The Tidepool sign came in second. People looked at it for a bit longer—4.8 seconds on average—and it also helped visitors remember local regulations and key information.

The takeaway? Placement, content, and design really matter. A sign that’s right in front of you is more likely to get noticed, even if only for a few seconds. Additionally, signs with large icons showing the MPA regulations and fewer words in general hit the mark in getting visitors to recall the local regulations. When done right, even brief exposure to a sign can influence what people know, how they feel, and how they behave.

The ‘You Are Here’ sign at the Wedgewood Street coastal access stairs in Cambria, CA.

So, How Do We Make Better Signs?

The research I conducted is helping us answer that very question. We’re using these insights to create new signs that are better tailored to the locations they serve and the people who visit them. That means thinking about who’s using a particular beach, what information they need, and how best to get their attention.

If you're curious, you can explore the full report here:

👉 MPA Signage Evaluation Report (2023)

Katelyn Sprofera with an Interpretive sign on a foggy day at Ten Mile State Marine Reserve in Fort Bragg, CA.

What’s Next for MPA Signs in California?

We now have a better grasp on where signage is falling short—and where it’s doing its job. A new round of MPA signage is currently in development, with installation planned for Fall 2025. CMSF and the MPA Collaborative Network are working together to prioritize locations that have specific compliance issues and tailor new signs accordingly. While previous sign types have been updated to include elements to improve their efficacy, a new sign type has been developed that addresses the need for large icons so visitors can easily understand the rules at a glance, but also includes a map and specific regulations for those who decide they want to dive a little deeper. 

A prototype of the new sign type that features regulatory icons, a map with a ‘You Are Here’ indicator to help visitors orient themselves, and the full regulations with necessary definitions. Previously, signs have included summarized regulations which required them to research the specific rules.

This update also comes at a pivotal time, as California is reviewing the MPA Network for the first time since its implementation. While it’s clear most coastal visitors don’t stop to read MPA signs, the presence of these signs is still critical. They help make regulations enforceable—just like a “No Parking” sign on a red curb. And with smarter design, clearer messaging, and better placement, we can make sure the signs that do get read have maximum impact. For this round of MPA signage, we are taking the time to explore what sign type will fit best at each of the proposed locations and working to ensure they are installed in a way that makes them hard to miss. By considering goals for the sign from the start, acknowledging unique site and audience-specific needs, and incorporating suggestions for sign installation, MPA signage in California will become more impactful.